Used Corvette Sellers Have A Very Unique Niche In the Automotive Marketplace

Whether you’re buying a used Corvette from a dealer or a private owner, there are a few things you’ll need to be prepared for.

Shopping for a used Corvette? The first place you might think about when going car shopping is a car dealership. But we all know the negatives of both good and bad dealerships. What about private sellers? An equal number of good and bad. Some private sellers might price their Corvette in such a way that forces them to keep it. VinWiki‘s host Doug Tabbutt dives into this unique set of rules that seem to only apply to Corvettes.

Car dealerships often get a bad wrap for being untrustworthy. Granted, some dealerships fully deserve their reputation, while others are genuinely concerned about repeat business and doing good for the customer. That said, most average dealers might not have a thorough market knowledge of Corvettes. Tabbutt, having been on the selling side before knows the perspective from dealerships first hand. “The C5 Corvette was becoming so accessible on the used car market that any margins that were once in this car disappeared,” notes Tabbutt. And for a dealership, that means they have to take a small margin if priced fairly. Or if they wish to stick with their current margins, increase the asking price. Of course, that means a car like that will sit on a lot in perpetuity.

The CorvetteForum marketplace is filled with owners who are trying to unload a ride for various reasons. Some may be upgrading, some may be starting a new project, some may be downsizing a collection. But it is fair to say we all want the most for our used Corvette. Research tools are plentiful and we can pin down exactly how many Corvettes had certain option combinations. Don’t be surprised when a private seller knows all this information about their car and uses it to their advantage. Tabbutt is the same way, saying “I may be the pot calling the kettle black. My Corvette is a 1998 convertible in Light Carmine Red, and its the only year they made that color in the convertible.” So as you see, being prepared with knowledge is a benefit for both buyer and seller alike.

Then there’s also the owner who has a significant other demanding a Corvette be sold. You know the scenario; “it’s either me or the car.” Then it is advertised with an artificially high price. Keeping that promise, it is “for sale” after all. Wink, wink.

As a private seller, you’ll get to deal with the low-ballers who will negotiate price like it’s an Olympic sport. And they are going for gold. As Tabbutt notes, buyers will say “I found this one on eBay for $800 dollars less. Or one they found for $200 dollars less.” That is of course not taking into account variables like mileage, condition, and options.

But it is worth a note that Corvettes trade hands quite often with happy sellers and happy buyers. The ones with bad experiences just tend to have louder voices.

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